Charging glass-pots.



H. K. HITOHCOGK. CHARGING GLASS POTS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10,1910.

- Patented Apn25, 1911'.

5 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

WITN ESSESI H. K. x-n'mncv HARGING GLASS A OATION FILED OOT.'10. 1910.

990,555 Patented .25, 1911 WITNESSES;

EITGHCOGK.

CHARGING GLASS POTS.

' AIPPLIOATIQH run) 001'. 10, 1910.

. Eaten Apr. 25,1911.

6 BEBBFB-SHBET 3.

H; K. HITGHGOCK.

CHARGING GLASS POTS.

APPLIOATION FILED 001'. 10, 1910 5 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

Flll'l' YE WITN ESSESI H. K. HITOHUOGK.

CHARGING GLASS POTS.

APPLICATION FILED 001110, 1910.

Fatenteai Apr 25, 1911.

5 mama-snarl 5.

(a! milwwmttys To all whom it may concern:

HALBER'I K.- HITCHCOCK. OF TARENTUIVL PENNSYLVANIA.

CHARGING GLASS-POTS.

' Be it known that I, HALBER'r K. Hi'rorr- I coon, residing atTarentun'i, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, aciti- -zen of the United States have ihventedor discovered certain newand useful Improvements in Charging Glass-Pots, of winch nn-' provementsthe following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements incharging the batch into pots while in the furnace. This charging isgenerally effected by laborers provided with long handled ladles whichafter being filled from a wheeled hopper are in-. serted through acharging hole in the tuille closing theopening through the furnacewalk-through which the pots are inserted, and then turned depositing thematerial in. the pots, two of which are usually charged through the sameopening. This manner of charging the pots is not only slow but diiiicultand unpleasant on account of the heat and dust. It has been attempted tocharge the pots through pipes or chutes inserted through openingsformedin the arch of the furnace immediately overthe pots. It has been foundvery difficult to close such opening's sufiiciently tight to prevent theescape of' heat and products of combustion which will rapidly cut thewalls of the openings.

The most serious objections to this method histhat dirt will dropthrough the openings Fig. 3 is a view partly in the arch into the potsand that.- the edges' of the openings are melted under the-inthience ofthe heat and fluxing gases in the furnace, and such melted materialdropping into the pot rendering the charge therein unfit for use.

The invention described herein has for its object a gravityfeed of thematerial into the.

pots through an opening or openings formed in the wall or walls of thefurnace above and part of this specificationFigure 1, sectionai View ofa portion of a .gl gt i na'ce and showing a desirable form' 'oprovedf'eeding apparatus; F 1g .;2 asec 't1011'al. plan view the planeof se ggtigia'jbeing indicated by the line-11 1.1; '.ig.'1; and

' levation and:

partly in section. illustrat r g Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentederpr. 25, 19M

'Applicatioii filed October 0,-'1910. Serial No. 588,349.

cations in the structure of the apparatus;

Fig. 4k is a sectional view; on an enlarged scale showing the manner ofconnecting the batch guide to its support, Fig. 5 is a sec 'tional planon a plane indicated by the line VV, Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a detail planillus- 'trating a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 3, Fig.7 is'a sectional elevation showing a modified form of charging apparatusand Fig. 8 is a vertical section on a plane indicated by the line VIH-VUI Fig. 7.

iV-hile the-batch-charging opening may be 'made through any part of thefurnace envelop as cap or side wall, it is preferred to utilize theopening in the tuilles 1. as these openings are now utilized forobserving thetransformation of the batch and for regu lating thetemperature of the furnace. and

' would not involve anyrhange in the struc ture of the furnac:e.'suchopenings being above the tops of the pots and intermediate adjacentpotsasis clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The batch properly mixed isplaced in a hopper 2 preferably with a valve at the bottom. whichis'conveycd by a: cart or other means to a suitableplace under the cranebridge The hopper is then raised by the trolley 4t and adjusted toposition over the basin 5 forming. the mouth of the guiding pipe or tube(3. This tube is rotataiiily sup,

ported on a platfornrT.which is pivotally supported asat 19 in a frame18; detacha-bly connected to the bridge. will permit of the lower end ofthe tube being swung to feed position over either of the pots ashereinafter stated. his frame may be attachedto the bridge in anysuitable manner as for example by hooks 9 pivotally secured to the frameandadapted to engage pins 10 on the bridge. It is preferred that thetube (3 be so supported by the bridge or other suitable support that theaxis of rotation of .the tube as hereinafter described should bevertically above the opening through which the lower'end of the tube isinserted. In order to move the lower end of the tube into and out of thefurnace the tube is made in twosections which are so conneoted'by ajoint 11 that an oscillating movement can be imparted to the lower por-"fti'on of'the tube; As shown in Fig. 1 the tube is so curved'that whenthe. lower end i I swung on thepivoted joint 11 it can be Thisconstructionmoved into and out of the furnace, and when so inserted thedischarge end of the tube can be brought over either of the pots: by-IOtiltlllg the tube onits platform 7 The internal diameter of the tubeat its upper or receiving end is preferably made smaller than thelotherportions 'thereof and it is .preferred that the internal dimensionsshould gradually increase from the upper to the lower end as shown. Byreason of this construction the material while being guided by the tubewill havea practically free fall z'."e.- its movement will not -gb'e'materially checked or arrestedby contact with the Walls of the tube. .Asthere will not be any mate rial frictionalresistance'to" the movement ofthe batch-through the vertical portion of the tube it will acquiresufficient velocity- 'to traverse when .deflected'b'y the portion a ofthe tube, through the: lowerp'ortion thereof which although nearlyhorizontal has sufli-'.

cient downward pitch to allow of the twin "terrupted passage of thebatch.

".It will be -read1lyunderstood-by' those skilled in the art, thatunless. provision is ,madej toprevent it,'there will be a very wstrongdraft of hot air or-gases'upthrough .the feed tube'when its lower end isinserted overhead support. I I -rnounte'd,the joint 11 can be onntted asthe,

' .lower. end of the tube can bemoved into and.

\ closure of the tube providedjwithgroovedjwheels 13 .which byturningbup-the arms vWhile-the tube is sup- 'p ed y' the trolley 4, canbeplacedion'thq rails 14 attached to the bridge 3 hr other When the'tube is. ,so

7 outfof the furnace by shifting the platform 1 7 alongthe bridge.

pets, provision is madefor shiftingthe-platform and depend- 1ingItube-frOIIi one side of thefurnace to the 16,116 and when -other.".Intheeonstruetion shown in Figs; 3 I 60 vided withoppositely'projecting'piston rods I it -is. desired; to'shiftthe tubefrom one side of the furnace {tothe and 4, the piston in the cylinder15' ispro} other, the arm 17 'is disconnected from the piston. rod, theplatform shifted alon'g -past crane on; truekh Figs.

. This movement-ofe platform, and depending tube can be effected; by anysuitable means 'as' for example by a 'fluidypressure cylinder 15 carriedby the --bridge.-. The: piston=. -rod 16 is. detachably "connected; to.the platformby 1 1 a movable 'As furnaees are generally constructed so 3of the tube is. pushed I into the, rnace and discharge end'dverione ofthe the cylinder, and the bpposite rod lti'connected to the platform byan arm 17 In the construction shown in 1 the Ibridge is provided withtwo sets of properly located pins 10 and the tubeismoved from oneposition to the other by the trolley 4* which is also utilized to removethe tube to any suitable place after the charging of the pots has been.efl ected, thus leaving the crane free to be used for any otherpurpose-such as elevating the hopper- 'containingthe batch,

and placing the pots in the furnace and removing them.

By supportmg the platform 7 ,on pivot pins 19 as in Fig.1 the accurateadjustment of the crane bridge with reference to -the,

openings 'in the furnaceenvelop is not nee-" 2 essary,"a s the lower endof the-tube 6 can'be v swung through a considerable are on m hivot pins19. c J I As shown-in Fig. 6 the platform 7 carry: ing the guide tubemay have a. universally movable support. In this -construction "the arms12 are hinged to aframe'22 within which a second frame. QO- is supportedby pivot pins23." The platform -7 is supported within the. second.frameBO b'y-pivot pins 21 This construction permits of the. lower .or-

tion of the tube 6 being swung in any direc;v

tion thus. facilitating its insertion into the. furnace Without-'ac'cura'telv shifting oftthe' crane bridgeandfihe platform 7 along the"crane bridge.

suitablemeans as for example bythe travel in'g crane generally employedin connection 'with the furnace for placing pots in' and removin' themfrom the furnace asshown in and 2; In charging batch into the pots thetrolle his employed for so. lift ng I the tube and p rts connectdthereto that it may be attached to thel crane bridge 3 by the lhooks 9as in Fig; '1 .or-bythe arms 1221s in Fig. 3. "The; bridge 3- is-[thenmoved to or approxim tely to position over .the-opening in the fa naceenvelop. During this mete mentof t e bridge'the lowereiid ,qf thetube isdrawn back if the position; of the plat-f rm on" the crane bridge fixedas: in Fig. .1 or

the whole ube is moved back. fronj1"the furnace when the platform isailjusttzblyi-m'bunb ed 'iuhthe; bridge as infFig. After the cranebridge has been'shiftedftl e'l wer end the tube 'turhed'on the platformto ring the hopper containing the bat-ch'haying een raised by thetrolley m1: moved in 'pos ion relative to'the-basin-ffi the valve-inlthebottom of the hopper is opened permitting the "material-to flow intothefbasinfland' from thence todrop'through the 'tubeg I V Inthe"constructions15 wn in Figs. I 1 {and 3 the-batch is brought}toposition'belo {the and the hopper 2-conta The guide tube 6' may be:supported byu-any pos. The

sufiicient lnaterial for charging one two OT are charged, overthecharging bins Ql which '15 are provided Wltll valved spouts 27 tord1- recting the 111 1tei'ial ;iiit the feed tube. T he teed tube isiuevably connected to a suitable support whereby it can be shiftedtofee'd positions as hereinafter. described.

Either the traveling crane can he used to support the tube or a trolleyfiS-niovahly along tracks 20 arranged in such relation to the spouts 27t the tube 6' can be shifted from spout. to spout as required. As shownin Fig. 8 the tube is so connected to the trolley that its lower end canhe shitted. laterally required. I The tube is made continuous from thetrolley to its discharge end.

and the bins are placed at such a height 30 relative to the opening inthe furnace through which the tube to be inserted. that the tube will heso nearly vertical that the material will have a. n-acticall'y treellowf \Vhen the opening in the tuille plate used tor charging they lowerportion of the tube bent to an angle to tl e vertical portiou. but thisangularly arranged portion is so short'that the material; will flowthrough it at nearly the velocit v' it has in passing through thevertical portion of the tube. flhe invention claimed herein not limitedto anyspecilic location otthe hole in the t'nrnace envelop and it willbe readily undernood that by making .a hole in the turn-ace envelop athigher point than that in the tuille plate. the tube may bemadestraight' from end to end. As in this construction the support forthe tube which corresponds to the center of oscillation of its inner endfrom potto pot. is a ctmsiclm'ahle distance from the wall of the furnacethe tube will have to be placed at angles to the wall ot" the turning-ein order that the inner end may he adj 5 ed over the pots.

so spaced that when the inner end of the tube is over one pot thereceiving end of the tube will be in line with one of the spouts. Afterthat Kit is filled the trolley or crane is moved along to another spoutth *rehy n changing the angular position of the spout and with rcla'hohto the furnace and permuting the inner end of the tuhc to be shiftedoyer theother spout. The tube can be inserted and Withdrawn by shiftingthe trolley along its track, the tube being con- Hence the spouts .2?

nected to the trolley so that its free end can be freely movedhorizontally and vertically. \Yhen not in use the tube can be swungparallel with the line (if bins and will not intei fere with'otheroperations around the furnaee.

its ahove stated it isgpreferred that the material should have freedomof movement through the tube'and should not have op portunity ofbecoming compacted in the tithe and its velocity reduced or ehcckcdtThis end can he attained by so regulating the valve in the hopper thatsuiiicient quantity of the batch. can not enter'the tube at one time tofill the tube; or this regulation of the material can be eltectedautomatically 'huredncing the internaldian'ie't'er of the ,movenients asit in that in Figs. 7 and 8.

After one pot hasheen filled the 'alve in the 'hopper or spout is closedand the pipe or tube turned axially on the, platform T as in 1 andorshit'ted laterally as in Figs. T and 8 thereby shifting theinner endof the iipc over the other pot. lIh-e valve in the hopper or spout istlieuopcned allow= mg the material to flow into the second pot.

In case the hatch should cut the wall of the pot the cll -;(.llt11'?'@:(3l1(l ot' the tube can he shaped as shown in Fig. 3 thus providing alip agai st which the material would strike and he deflected down intothe potf It is .-haracteristic of my improvement in feeding the batchthat each individual particle will acquire in its vertical movementsulhcieut velocity to carry it the required distance horizontally, evenwhen the entire horizontal movement is continuous, and the horizontalportion of the tube has a downward inclination less than the angle. ofrepose ol the materials forming the hatch.

it is believed that in the practice of mv invention both pots can becharged in about two minutes so that'by making thewall ot the portion ofthe tube which enters the furnace snllici'ently thicl; the use ofcooling means A the circulating of wate'r in such the tube, will not benecessary in most cases,

1 claim herein as my invention:

1. is an improvement in th art of feeding uaterials to glass pots themethod herein described which consists in feeding liuely divided anddesiccated material through a 139 ttibefeir'tending' into the furnaceto. a. point adjacent to the pot and neventing any flow of: air or gasthrough s id tube in opposi- I tionto; -the"direct io'n of flow of themai; terial.

2. As a improvement in the art of feeding mater ls to glasspots, themethod here-j in described-which consists-tin causing the finely"?divided and desiccated material ,to drop'through' a tube extending intothe furnac'e -to ap'oint adjacent to the pot and; during the chargingoperation-'maintaining a sufficient, supply of-the material ata point inthe tube tozprevent" an up draft of air ,15 or gas throughthe tube. p

.' A's-an improvement in the art of oharging pots-in furnaces. themethod herein described, which consists in permitting a finely dividedand desiccated material to be moved solely by gravity; directing thematerial without interfering with its -gravity movement through anopening into a pot arranged in; the furnace, and protecting thematerial'in movement from reversely flowing air' or gas.

, *4. .A-pot furnace provided yvith aii'opening located above and.intermediate adjacent' pots arranged in the furnace in comv binationwith a pipe or tube adapted to be cent potsarranged in said furnace incombination with a Vertically supported feed i tube having an internaldiameter adjacent .to its upper or receiving end less than that of itsloweror delivery portions and adaptand means for shifting the framealong the I ded vvith an open with an? open- -ing located above andintermediate tea-l set my hand.

ed to be inserted into the furnace and renoved therefrom.

7. A pot furnace 111 combination with feedtube having a reducedinternaldiameter adjacentto its upper or inlet end said tube being adapted to beinserted into th fur-:1 nace with its discharge end inpositi on to"deliver material into a. pot means for supj for delivering the materialinto the tube at a point above its reduced diameter.- "8. A pot furnacein combination with an elevated support, a tube rotatable on its aziis.

suspended from said support andmeans for 0 shifting-the-j tube forinsertion of its lower 1 end into and out of lthe furnace.

9. A pot furnace in-combination with an overhead support,

tube into the furnace.

10. A 'pot furnace in combination with an overhead support, a framemovably .7 mounted on said support, a feed tubei-ro tatable' on'its'axis mounted on the frame I support.

11. A pot furnace provided withan open- -7 ing located-above andintermediate adjacent pot's' arranged in the furnace in combination withan elevated bin'extending in the I 1 direction of the furnace, spouts.extending a frame detachably conj 'nected to the suPP Ort, a feed tuberotatable [on its 'axis supported by the frame and 1 means for insertingthe lower- 'end of 'the from the bin, a support movable along the Q 0line of-spoutsj, a pipe or tube having one end carried by said supportand extending downwardly toward andjinto the furnace. and adapted to beadjusted to feedgposition over adjacentpots. 8 .In testimony whereoffllhavve hereunto A BERT'KI HITCHCQGK WVitnesses'; L I

Amen A; TRILL;

' THoMAs Horror.

porting the'tube in feed position'and means 1 5

